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Mr. Tom Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Direct speech -- use of "tell"

Hi

Is the underlined part incorrect? Should it be John said to me?

"You've put on weight again, brother," John told me with a smile.

Thanks,

Tom
  

Top answer

Mr. Tom Is the underlined bold part incorrect? No.

— GPY

  • Mr.
  • Tom Is the underlined bold part incorrect?
  • No.
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3 Answers
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Mr. TomIs the underlined bold part incorrect?
No.
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Thanks, GPY.

But if memory serves me correctly I saw the use of told (in such an example) frowned upon in some book. I may be mistaken.

So my question is, does the use of told in the example I gave above bother any purist?

Tom
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Mr. TomBut if memory serves me correctly I saw the use of told (in such an example) frowned upon in some book
What book was that?

Tell and say are basic vocabulary words. We use them all the time.
But it might be easier to misuse "tell" than "say."

All over the world, mothers say, "Eat your vegetables!"
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